February 2026

Every year, Mind’s Time to Talk Day encourages all of us to pause, connect and start conversations that could change lives. It’s a simple idea with profound impact: the more we talk openly about mental health, the more we break down stigma and create space for people to seek help early.

Time to Talk Day reminds us that no one should struggle alone. For people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, this message couldn’t be more vital.

Mental Health and Homelessness: An Inextricable Link

Poor mental health is one of the leading causes of homelessness in the UK. Within our own services, around three‑quarters of clients report a mental health diagnosis or suspected condition, but we believe the real figure is far higher. This mirrors national findings: in 2024, Homeless Link reported that 82% of people experiencing homelessness have a diagnosed mental health condition. However, research sadly shows us that many of those individuals are struggling to access the support they need while experiencing homelessness.

This gap in access is often where things begin to unravel.

Research from Pathway’s Seeing the Whole Person: A Preventative Approach to Mental Health and Homelessness highlights the many missed opportunities to intervene before someone reaches crisis point. Thresholds for support are often high, and services are often complex to navigate. Poor literacy, limited digital access or no stable address create further barriers for support. For those who have faced trauma or negative experiences with the system, seeking help can feel unsafe or futile.

Without timely care, mental health needs worsen.

Paranoia can push people away from their homes. Self‑neglect linked to conditions such as schizophrenia can make maintaining housing impossible.

Reflecting on her experiences supporting people in the community, former Support Co‑ordinator Michelle Harfield shared:

”It was often my experience that encouraging my clients to open up about their mental health was really difficult. Many of them felt dismissed by mental health services, often due to developing substance addictions to cope or through claims of non‑engagement when struggling to attend appointments. There was a sadly frequent pattern of discharge for these reasons.

 

Even when clients weren’t discharged, long waiting times and separate referrals for specific conditions massively delayed access to the right treatment. This increases the risk of homelessness—not just becoming homeless for the first time, but also perpetuating the cycle when treatment is delayed or doesn’t come at all.

 

Being able to have frank, open conversations with clients about their mental health and how it affects their current experiences are rare but incredibly meaningful. They provide insight into the pathways we can explore to support someone away from homelessness.“

These conversations, the ones Time to Talk Day encourages, can be a first step in breaking that cycle.

When Homelessness and Addiction Create Even Higher Barriers to Mental Health Support

For many people, substance use becomes a way of coping with untreated mental health needs. Yet despite national guidance from Public Health England stating that mental health and drug/alcohol services share responsibility for individuals with co‑occurring conditions, a significant service gap remains.

In 2022, The MEAM Coalition’s Multiple disadvantage and co-occurring substance misuse and mental health conditions briefing revealed that individuals were still being told they must resolve their substance use before they could access mental health treatment, even when that substance use stemmed directly from deeper, unaddressed mental health issues.

This leaves people stuck in distress and without treatment. It creates a cycle that all too often leads back to homelessness.

As Pete Wakeham, one of our Substance Misuse and Wellbeing Workers, reminded us:

”Addiction teaches people to hide their true feelings. Connection is the opposite of addiction.“

That connection—non‑judgemental, compassionate and trauma‑informed is exactly what our clients need most.

How Turning Tides Helps Break This Cycle

At Turning Tides, we know that supporting mental health is essential to preventing homelessness and stopping it from reoccurring. That’s why our services are built around long‑term, holistic, trauma-informed care. As well as all our staff being trained to have supportive conversations with clients around their needs, we also offer specialist services to enhance support where needed.

Our approach includes:

Substance Misuse and Wellbeing Workers

Working closely with clients to build trust, support recovery, and create stability while developing pathways into services.

Mental Health Workers

Providing specialist, one‑to‑one support and linking our clients with local Pathfinder services to access community-based mental health and wellbeing support.

A dedicated Counselling Service

Offering ongoing therapeutic support so people can process trauma, rebuild resilience, and sustain their housing.

Our Counselling Coordinator Gavin Chipchase reflects:

”Mental health and homelessness are intrinsically linked. It can often be the cause or result of becoming homeless.

 

There is a lack of mental health support available to our clients, which is reflected in the rising number of people presenting to our services. Mental health resources are vital so people experiencing homelessness can find their way forward with the right support and trauma‑informed care.“

Every conversation we have with our clients, whether about mental health, addiction, past trauma, fears, hopes, or daily challenges, helps us understand how to support them more effectively. And every conversation they feel safe enough to start is a step towards stability.

Why Time to Talk Day Matters to Us All

Time to Talk Day isn’t just about talking; it’s about listening and recognising the courage it takes to share something painful. This is especially true for those at risk of falling through the cracks if their voices remain unheard.

By keeping conversations about mental health open, compassionate and stigma free, we can help prevent homelessness before it begins and support people on their journey out of it.

This Time to Talk Day, let’s make space for the conversations that could change everything